A look at the life of the nation's next First Lady

Ever since her husband declared his candidacy for president, Michelle Obama been subject to national scrutiny. She has been portrayed as a down-to-earth wife who jokingly ribs her husband for his dirty socks, and she has been called out as unpatriotic when she commented that for the first time in her life she was "proud" of her country. She is a doting mother, and a masterful campaigner who drew thousands to her solo appearances. But before Michelle Obama lived in the spotlight, she  was Michelle Robinson, a kid growing up on Chicago's South Side, who hoped to follow her brother to a top university. As she prepares to take on her newest identity, First Lady, a look back to her past: